Mike Fine: Celtics are the real deal

Monday

Dec 31, 2007 at 12:01 AMDec 31, 2007 at 4:34 AM

Not that we need to play the respect card, because who cares what anybody other than the Celtics think about the Celtics? But it is just a little irritating that the 26-3 Celtics are looked upon by many, including several coaches, as quick starters who'll get theirs when they start playing the iron of the league. Stupid fans. Stupid coaches.

Mike Fine

Not that we need to play the respect card, because who cares what anybody other than the Celtics think about the Celtics?

It was almost comical when Patriots fans would flood talk shows complaining that nobody gave their team any respect in the wake of three Super Bowls and an impending perfect season, but it means nothing what anyone thinks, and even less to the guys who play the game.

OK, but it is just a little irritating that the 26-3 Celtics are looked upon by many, including several coaches, as quick starters who'll get theirs when they start playing the iron of the league. Stupid fans. Stupid coaches.

The first thought was that the Celtics' top three players would require months to learn to play together and share the ball. They got together in August and quickly bonded. The second thought was that the Celtics would have no bench to carry on for Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Then James Posey began playing defense, Eddie House began canning 3-pointers, Tony Allen showed flashes of previous brilliance, and Glen Davis played well beyond his years.

OK, so next we get, "well, they haven't gone on an extended road trip yet. They haven't gone out West." So the Celtics are back after a 4-0 trip.

Then we heard, "Oh, yeah, wait until they meet the iron of the West. The East is so weak." Well, listen, the Utah Jazz were 10-2 at home before the Celtics humbled them Saturday, and the LA Lakers were considered one of the top teams in the West. They were 11-4 at the Staples Center before the Celtics dismissed them and their hack-attack, cross-body-blocking methods Sunday.

The last time the Celtics won four in a row out West was when the real Big Three was playing in the ‘80s, and I've gotta tell you, this team is comparing very favorably to the team that won three titles.

Nobody's saying that it's a finished product, or that it's not going to have some problems along the way, but after 29 games, the Celtics have established themselves as an elite team, and what reasoning would anybody have to suspect they're going to fall flat on their faces? Sure, they very well could lose in the first round of the playoffs, but that's not something that can be easily detected off this incredible start.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers and his players are becoming fond of their "We haven't won anything yet" mantra, but they have won some respect. It's almost comical that the players take an "I don't know our record approach," especially since Paul Pierce readily has every league statistic ready to roll off his tongue.

And if they're being asked every day, "Are you surprised that you're 8-0 or 26-3?" or whatever, you might suspect that the players would have some idea of their record. But that's a team-bonding thing and it's OK.

What's relevant is they've been entirely focused game to game and it's paid dividends. This is a team that has yet to find itself in any desperate trouble, has demonstrated an overpowering ability to put it together in the second half. It's a team that's better than every other NBA team on the defensive end.

The Celtics head into Wednesday's home contest with Houston leading the NBA in points against (88.8), defensive field goal percentage (41.1), defensive 3-point percentage (31.4), opposing rebounds (37.8) and opposing assists (17.2), and they're right near the top in several offensive categories.

Now, everyone knows that these numbers aren't going to hold up so spectacularly throughout the season. Inevitably, injuries and fatigue will take hold of the Celts, and their numbers will suffer.

It's also true that they've yet to play San Antonio, Dallas, New Orleans and Phoenix, and that they lost to Detroit, Orlando and Cleveland. Yeah, they lost by an eyelash to some of the best Eastern teams. What good teams doesn't suffer that kind of loss?

On the other hand, they have manhandled every other lesser team. Their point differential of 13.8 is far and away the best in the league, even better than Detroit, San Antonio and Phoenix. They've also got the best differential in steals (2.7) and rebounds (4.2).

They started the season winning 11 of their first 12 games, going 12-0 at home, and this is not because they took anyone by surprise. Not even those teams who have had a chance to scout them by now have had any success in cracking them. They've crushed the Lakers twice, they avenged their losses to Cleveland and Orlando, they croaked New Jersey twice, beat Toronto in overtime and then demolished them by 28 points.

They can't be double-teamed because when one superstar is, there are two others to carry the load, and they've gotten a huge lift from Rajon Rondo, the supposed wink link at point guard who's averaging 5.2 assists and leads all NBA point guards with a .512 shooting percentage.

Again, nobody can predict their playoff possibilities. The NBA is littered with teams that have started fast and come to an early demise. Of the 13 NBA teams that have begun the season with 10-0 or better records, only three have won a championship.

The Red Auerbach-coached 1948-49 Washington Capitals started out at 15-0 and lost in the BAA Finals. The 1993-94 Houston Rockets were also 15-0, and won the whole thing.

Auerbach's Capitols also started out at 24-4, that Rockets team 25-4. Two other teams that began the season at 26-3-just like these Celtics-came to inauspicious ends.

The 1972-73 Celtics were 26-3 before losing their next game. They finished the season at 68-14 and lost in the Eastern Conference Finals (Knicks). Likewise, the 1993-94 Sonics dropped to 26-4, finished the season with 63 wins and lost in the first round of the Western Conference Finals.

Last season, the Mavericks finished with 67 wins (after starting 0-4) and lost in the first round (Golden State). The 2005-06 Pistons won 64 games, beginning at 25-4, and lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls were 41-3 on Feb. 2. They finished with a league-record 72 wins and didn't lose to anybody in the playoffs.

So, no, there's no telling what could happen later on down the road, but for now, we know this much: These Celtics are the real deal. They're smart, savvy, powerful, focused, motivated defensively, able to score on anybody at almost any time. They're already battle-tested and battle-scarred, and barring a catastrophe, with the assumption that there'll be some lumps along the way, this is going to end up as a special regular season.

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